Taking advantage of Tony’s absence, I began preparing for my fake death.
My new identity had already been arranged. Now, all I needed was for the death certificate to take effect and the right opportunity for the accident.
I thought Tony wouldn’t be back until morning.
However, in the middle of the night, he suddenly kicked the front door open. Behind him, Jane followed, crying.
He threw the gifts from earlier at me one by one. Some scattered across the floor, while some shattered.
Even the bouquet of lilies had been snapped and wilted, and he flung it harshly onto the couch in front of me.
Only then did I notice the tiny pinhole camera hidden among the flower buds.
In the broken gift boxes on the floor, faint red lights from cameras flickered.
“Astrid, you actually tried to spy on Jane?! Is that why you pretended to be generous and gave her those gifts?!”
Tony roared in fury.
“What was your purpose in spying and secretly filming her? If she hadn’t discovered it today, what were you planning to do with those recordings? Tell me!”
Jane, hiding behind him, sobbed as she spoke.
“Astrid, I really didn’t mean to ruin your family. I just couldn’t control myself, that’s why I made a mistake with Tony! I know you hate me, but you can’t spy on my life like this! Are you trying to harm my baby, or expose me as the other woman and ruin my life?”
Hearing her words, Tony grew even angrier.
I met his reddened eyes and said, “It wasn’t me. I didn’t do it.”
“Not you?”
Tony let out a cold laugh, his expression dark.
“Astrid, your acting is getting better and better. I thought you were really that generous, that you didn’t care. I didn’t expect you to use such despicable methods!
“Don’t you trust my love for you? I told you that after the child is born, I’ll cut ties with her completely and let you raise the child. Are you really so narrow-minded and impatient?!”
I knew that in front of them, any denial would be useless.
I closed my eyes briefly, suppressing the surge of emotions and forcing myself to stay calm.
“The flowers and the gifts were placed in the living room by your assistant. They haven’t been moved.
“Didn’t you install surveillance cameras all over the living room because you were worried about me going into early labor or having an accident? If I did it, you can just check the footage.”
The moment I said that, Jane’s face turned pale.
“Astrid. Only the three of us touched those flowers! If it wasn’t you, are you saying it was me? Fine. Since you insist you’re innocent, let’s check the footage!”
Tony was about to pull up the surveillance on his phone when Jane suddenly trembled. Her face pale, she grabbed his hand and broke down crying.
“Mrs. Baldino, I’m the other woman, so it’s only right that you hate me. But Tony really cares about you. Please don’t argue because of me…
“As for the cameras, if you say you didn’t place them, then you didn’t. I misunderstood you. I’ll apologize and make it up to you, okay?”
As she spoke, she picked up a bottle of champagne from one of the gift boxes, popped it open, and poured a full glass.
“I’ll toast to you. After I finish it, please forgive me. Let’s just pretend this never happened, okay?”
I watched coldly as she cried and drank the entire glass, then snorted.
“If you didn’t mean to ruin my family, why are you in such a hurry to apologize and ask for my forgiveness? And as for the cameras, whether they exist or not, we can just check the footage, can’t we?”
Tony’s face darkened with impatience. “Astrid, enough.”
“Jane is pregnant, and she’s already apologized to you. She’s being sincere and kind. There’s no need for you to keep targeting her. Maybe I misunderstood you, but we can’t ignore potential danger. I’ll check the footage now and give you the truth.”
As Tony took out his phone, Jane panicked. The bottle of champagne slipped from her hand and shattered on the floor, liquid spilling everywhere.
Suddenly, she clutched her stomach with one hand and grabbed Tony’s wrist with the other, crying out in pain.
“Tony, my stomach suddenly hurts… The champagne! It must be because I drank!”
Tony immediately panicked. He shoved his phone away and pulled Jane into his arms.
Jane groaned in pain. “It hurts… Tony, take me to the hospital!”
Seeing her like this, Tony quickly lifted her into his arms. Before leaving, he shot me a cold glare.
“You shouldn’t have let her drink to apologize! Are you satisfied now?”
As he spoke, he shoved me aside with his shoulder and left without looking back.
I stumbled, stepping onto the spilled champagne. My ankle twisted, and I fell heavily to the ground.
A sharp pain pierced my lower abdomen, and my face turned pale.
A warm flow of blood ran down my body.
I knew I was going into early labor.
“My baby… I have to save my baby…”
With all the strength I had left, I called my friend for help.
Before the pain took away my consciousness, I saw the ambulance arrive just in time. Relief washed over me as I closed my eyes.
When I opened them again, I was lying in a hospital bed beside my newborn baby.
He was a boy.
“You had severe bleeding from premature labor when you were brought in. It was very dangerous. Thank God you were treated in time, and both of you are safe!”
My friend Mia wiped her eyes and handed me a document.
It was the now-effective fake death certificate, my new identity, and a plane ticket for tomorrow.
“Congratulations on your new life, Astrid. From now on, you’re free.”
I looked at the death certificate and the child in my arms, feeling both joy and emotion.
Yes, I was free.
The opportunity for my fake death had come, and it was perfect.
